what weight range is considered light for a sleeping bag? hood or no hood?

[tombolino]

Not a thru hiker. I live in Georgia, will hike AT or Southeast and around US.

what weight range is considered light for a sleeping bag?

Basically, I have been reading a bunch on sleeping bags.

Not sure if need a hood?
I want something with girth. I have looked at the various quilts....but no hood

[saltysack]

What season? Typically I carry a 20* bag from October to April then switch out to a 45* quilt...adjust base layers accordingly...this said I'm tired of a mummy bag as I twist and turn a lot so the hood is a pita....plan to get a 0-10* quilt to replace the bag...my decent 15* bag is a marmot helium down bag weighs around 2lbs. 45* quilt is around 1 lb.


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[MtDoraDave]

Not sure I understand the question, and I did a lot of sleeping bag research last year.
Synthetic vs Down
-down is lighter for the temperature rating, and stuffs smaller
-down is more expensive than synthetic
-the higher the fill number or fill power, the lighter and warmer the bag - but the prices go up quickly when you go from 650 fill to 750 fill to 850 fill, etc.
-synthetic maintains much more "insulation" when wet, though many down bags are now treated with a hydrophobic chemical that makes them more water resistant.
-goose down is better than duck down.

Temperature ratings vary from brand to brand. Some of the bags listed ratings are the comfort rating, some are the extreme rating, some are the European Norm, some don't specify whose or which rating they are using. Women's ratings are different than men's ratings, because women tend to be colder sleepers. Also, some people are colder sleepers than others; one person will be comfortable in a 40 degree bag on a 30 degree night, while another person would be miserably cold in the same bag.

Most backpackers tend to go with mummy bags because the mummy shape eliminates wasted area which saves weight - and mummy bags tend to have a hood.

My 650 fill, water resistant, goose down Marmot Never Summer 0 degree bag was $300, reduced to $215 - it weighs 4 lbs ... Some synthetic 0 degree bags claim the same weight, but didn't stuff down as small.

I've seen down sleeping bags listed for around $900... they are much smaller and lighter than my Marmot because they're like 900 fill power.

I've got a walmart 32 degree down bag that weighs 1 lb 12 oz ($80) and stuffs down to the size of a football that is my summer bag because if the temps get much colder than 50, I've got to wear a layer inside it... but it's small and light, so it goes in the pack if I'm not expecting cold weather.



There are a lot of choices when it comes to sleeping bags, and they are personal choices you must make depending on your needs and finances.

[tombolino]

Thank you all.
I have become familiarized with all that you mention MtDoraDave. I think, i just havent backpacked enough to know what I will need and where I will go but its safe to say a lot will happen in the SouthEast because thats where I live. Having said that, I did recently a trip to Smokies in April and it was cold as hell. I used a borrowed bag, synthetic, I need to find out what rating it was. I suppose I may have to get 2 bags at some point. I think I may have a mix of trips this year, from summer to fall and maybe winter.

What is the Walmart bag you have?? Im confused at 50 its too cold for the 32 bag?

[tombolino]

What is a good packable size? 7x15? Is that already on the big side?
I need girth, 64/60 and ideally open footbox.

I have been looking at all the Western Mountaneering bags. Expensive.

The Enlightened Equipment Convert sleeping bag.....10 weeks wait, no hood, but light at 1.26 lbs.

I have been also considering these:

https://www.rei.com/product/830941/s...i-sleeping-bag
18 degree, It can quilt out. is 2 lbs 7 oz considered heavy?

https://www.rei.com/product/830938/s...i-sleeping-bag
same as above but 32 degree, 2 lbs 2 oz

https://www.rei.com/product/102275/s...3-sleeping-bag
(lighter than the S2S, no footbox)

https://www.rei.com/product/896279/s...s-sleeping-bag
(lighter than the S2S, no footbox)

[mandolindave]

I think that how you sleep determines what style bag will suit you. ( side, back, or tummy sleeper ). If you are a tummy sleeper research Sierra Design Back Country Bed. I haven't used a quilt style, but I think it would be a PITA to keep covered up if you toss and turn. and I don't think sleeping directly on a pad would be very comfortable.I can't sleep on my back because I snore to bad and get dry throat when I do, so the mummy is out for me. Also the mummy bags limit my leg movement.
My point is…what other hikers use shouldn't matter. It's what suits you. To your original question…If you are not thru hiking, a few ounces more isn't the end of the world.

[egilbe]

I toss and turn and have no problem staying covered up using a quilt. There are straps that attach to the pad that keep the quilt in place. It's the reason I prefer a quilt and not a mummy bag.

always wear a base layer to bed. Then, you aren't sleeping on the pad, you are sleeping on your baselayers. EE also sells a synthetic hood that works really well. The neck of the quilt cinches up around the hood so you can still toll and turn without losing all your heat and your head stays warm.

[saltysack]

I toss and turn and have no problem staying covered up using a quilt. There are straps that attach to the pad that keep the quilt in place. It's the reason I prefer a quilt and not a mummy bag.

always wear a base layer to bed. Then, you aren't sleeping on the pad, you are sleeping on your baselayers. EE also sells a synthetic hood that works really well. The neck of the quilt cinches up around the hood so you can still toll and turn without losing all your heat and your head stays warm.

+1...the reason I like quilt better....

[4eyedbuzzard]

I currently have a WM Caribou (21oz, 64" girth) for 30° and above which is the bag I use 90% of the time. If I had it to do all over again I think I'd go with two quilts of different temp ratings that could be combined for colder weather use http://www.enlightenedequipment.com/...or-cold-temps/

[Secondmouse]

what is it you really want to know?you have a couple of different threads open asking basically this same thing...

here's one you started and never revisited after a few people gave you their suggestions -- http://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/118299-trying-to-decide-on-sleeping-bag-your-opinion-pls?p=2060759&highlight=#post2060759

[tombolino]

Sorry, didnt remember I had posted that already.

[Secondmouse]

Sorry, didnt remember I had posted that already.

no, that's not a problem, but it seems like you're kind of swerving into this idea and getting more confused as you go. I live in ATL also, so our outlooks should be similar and when I was looking like you are now, I started with some basic concepts...

first, one bag is not going to cover you in all seasons/circumstances. in the south we won't really experience what the rest of the country calls "winter" but it can still get pretty cold depending on altitude, abnormal weather, humidity, etc. so it doesn't hurt to be prepared for the worst.

two, some people can afford to buy a bag/quilt for each season but I can't, so I built a sleeping system of three components that I can mix and match to cover me from the heat of summer to a little below 0*. it consists of a 20* (Spring and Fall) bag, a 40* summer quilt, and the insulating clothing I can wear.

three, no matter how "true" to the rated temperature a bag is, there are times you find yourself being cold when you should be warm. this is what my insulating clothing is for - it extends the warmth in these circumstances.

I sleep warmer in a bag than a quilt so I prefer a bag for cold weather and a quilt for warm, YMMV.

down is lighter and compresses smaller than synthetic but costs more and doesn't deal as well with moisture. synthetic is heavier and doesn't compress as much but is cheaper and deals with moisture better. my bag is down, my quilt is synthetic.

I set an arbitrary goal of my system weight being no more than 3lbs. my bag weighs 2lbs 3oz, my quilt weighs 20oz. that's 3.5lbs to get down to 0*, I can live with that.

other than this I can't offer any suggestions...

[tombolino]

Awesome info Secondmouse. Thats pretty much where Ive been getting stuck. 2 bags vs 1.

So do you think for example a Convert Enlightened Equip 20 sleeping bag that can open like a quilt.....will still be too hot in summer even if I open it?

http://www.enlightenedequipment.com/convert/

[tombolino]

Wouldnt that 20 Convert knock 2 birds? Im learning....

[MoeTCrow]

Here's the thing. You will need 2 bags for life here in the South. I'm a BIG fan of my EE quilt. Never regretted it. And I got the 0 cause I sleep cold and camp year round. Take it all but summer. Then I take more of a blanket than a bag. We do get wild temp swings here and 70 can seem chilly after a 90+ day with humidity to match.

so ask yourself how cold / warm do you sleep? If you don't know try out a few different bags to get an idea. Does the bag say 30 and you were freezing at 50? Or were you sweating in a 50 degree bag while watching snow?

heck do a quick overnight ear with a comforter from a twin bed. How did it work?

Bags in my opinion are more personal than even packs. You have to get a feel for what you want before dropping big $$$ otherwise you end up with a closet full.

[Uncle Joe]

Get a Summer bag now. You have plenty of time till Fall.

[Secondmouse]

Awesome info Secondmouse. Thats pretty much where Ive been getting stuck. 2 bags vs 1.

So do you think for example a Convert Enlightened Equip 20 sleeping bag that can open like a quilt.....will still be too hot in summer even if I open it?

http://www.enlightenedequipment.com/convert/

I don't know that bag but my 40* quilt is Enlightened Equip Prodigy and they make good gear. I guess at that price though, you should have no trouble finding good bags so get what makes you feel good.

now, would a 20* quilt be too hot in the summer?.. you live here, what do you think?

I've spent nights where even a sheet was too hot without the ceiling fan on...